Greenwood Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary

Lakeview, Oregon

3621 Acres | November 15, 2007

Anonymous donor

Owned in Title

The Greenwood Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 2007, represents a mosaic of valuable wildlife habitats, from talus slopes and seasonal ponds to sagebrush-dominated shrub steppe and juniper woodlands. More than 411 wildlife species have been sighted on the property or may occur within its boundaries, including 4 amphibians, 15 reptiles, 310 birds, and 76 mammals. Among the latter are pronghorn, elk, black bears, badgers, and the elusive mountain lion. The preserve also contains three year-round sources of water – a rarity in the West, and critical for wildlife.

Another important benefit of protecting this property is that it may also serve as an important wildlife corridor for animals moving between vast private and public lands in the region, including those managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the adjacent Fremont National Forest. Such habitat linkages are increasingly recognized for their importance to species that need big wild spaces for their survival. “There are not that many remote spots left in the country,” noted the donor, who wishes to remain anonymous. “As the urban interface encroaches on the animals, what are they going to do?”

The Greenwood Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary started with the generous donation of 2,271 acres of undeveloped land in Lakeview, Oregon in 2008. In the summer of 2011, an adjoining 720 acres was purchased by the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust with funds given to us for that purpose by two other anonymous donors who recognized the value and urgency of the sale opportunity. Another acquistion in 2014 brought the total acreage to 3,621. All of this land will forever remain a safe haven for wildlife where there will be no development, no destructive logging practices and where recreational and commercial hunting and trapping will always be prohibited.

In the spring of 2010, the Indian Springs fencing project on the Greenwood Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary was completed. This is a very important habitat restoration project involved fencing off an oblong area roughly ½ mile in diameter. Indian Springs is a key piece of fairly remote wildlife habitat on the Greenwood Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary with a very productive spring and rather expansive, sub-irrigated wetland complex that has been compacted by livestock for many years.

In 2013, HSWLT received funding from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to participate in the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) and Mule Deer Initiative (MDI) projects to improve habitat for these species on the Greenwood Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary. In 2013, work was completed on 335 acres for the SGI project, and on 230 acres for the MDI project.

While conducting this fencing project, workers located and repaired an existing stock pond in the upper end of the complex. Once repaired, it filled overnight with thousands of gallons of water. That pond is fed by Indian Springs and is within our new exclusion fencing. While cattle will still have some access to water in this area, their impacts can now be more controlled and their watering influenced to the betterment of wildlife. We anticipate a remarkable recovery of this complex and will adjust the exclusion fencing in the future to adapt to changes in this system as it recovers.

The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust holds the title to this sanctuary. That means HSWLT is responsible for all property taxes and maintenance costs for the property -- every year, forever. In addition periodic inspections are made to ensure that the wildlife habitat remains in good condition. These inspections, and the handling of any damage or destruction, cost heavily in professional staff time and travel expenses.

HSWLT has promised to keep this property as a sanctuary forever -- and that promise will be kept. If you can help with the cost of stewardship for this and the other properties HSWLT protects, please donate here.

The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, tax identification number 52-1808517. Contributions to the Trust are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. "Wildlife Land Trust" is a registered trademark.